King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital

King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital (KKESH) is the largest ophthalmic tertiary referral centre in Saudi Arabia, and is operated by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH).

The 250-bedded hospital was inaugurated in 1983 and has ever since been recognised for delivering high standard ophthalmic patient care, for its strong educational programmes (including continuing medical education seminars and symposia, and training of ophthalmology residents and subspecialty fellows and other allied healthcare personnel), and its highly successful research programmes. 

KKESH is a JCIA accredited hospital and is committed to meet the highest international standards. 

KKESH prides itself in offering the highest standard of patient care, placing a strong emphasis on further education and continuous research as well. The hospital has received significant resources to research various eye disorders indigenous to the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia in particular. One particular outcome of KKESH's research has been the eradication of trachoma as an endemic disease in Saudi Arabia.

At KKESH, the following services are provided:

• Therapeutic services. Unavoidable problems are managed at KKESH. We receive patients referred to KKESH by the Government and private hospitals, health centres, clinics, and the general medical committees. These patients receive optimum and tertiary medical and surgical eye care, as appropriate.
• Research services. KKESH conducts clinical and field research and survey activities for identification of the geographical distribution of ocular disorders and investigation of the aetiology of eye disease according to the variances of age, sex and geographical location.
• Educational and Training services. This is realised by making the best use of the medical technical and administrative potentials of the on-site, high-calibre personnel in developing the skills of the Saudi Nationals on staff at KKESH and from the health and education organisations. Thus, they are enabled to assume their role in operating this and other eye care institutions.
• Preventative services. These are achieved through the diligent efforts being exerted to disseminate health education among the public at their locations by means of tapes, books, posters, publications, seminars, public lectures etc. Such activities help in the control and prevention of communicable and other eye diseases.

There are ongoing vacancies, for Nursing, Medical and Paramedical staff. Excellent benefits including 1- or 2-year contract, free housing, medical care and free return flight for each contract completed.

The Anaesthesia Department at KKESH

KKESH has a surgical unit of 12 operating theatres serving not only the people of Saudi Arabia but also people from surrounding countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

Patient care began in December 1982. In addition to offering comprehensive eye care, KKESH has developed education and research programmes and become an ophthalmology-training centre for Saudi ophthalmologist and other related health care professions.

Surgical services receive approximately 9,000 patients a year that require anaesthesia care. An estimated 20% of these patients are under 12 years of age. The neonatal and paediatric patients require general anaesthesia as well as many geriatric patients with their diverse medical problems.

The CRNA / Anaesthetic nurse monitors all general and regional anaesthetics, reviewing their assigned cases and preparing drugs and equipment for each case. Skills required for the CRNA include: airway control, intubations, interpreting monitored information, intravenous drug and anaesthetic gas administration. Anaesthetic care is given under the direction of an Anaesthesiologist.

The work is done according to the American system and the hospital is accredited by the JCAHO (Joint Commission of American Health Organisation).